Conductor grip for insulators



*9 a I March .23, 1948. H. s. SINES CONDUCTOR GRIP FOR INSULATORS FiledDec. 13, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 211i Iv ilk .rll

mu|l||||||||| llll llllllil l ul March 23, 1948. H. s. SINES CONDUCTORGRIB FOR INSULATORS Filed Dec. 13, 1-945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 23,1948. H. s. SINES CONDUCTOR GRIP FOR INSULATORS Filed Dec. 15, 1945 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 23, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECONDUCTOR GRIP FOR INSULATORS Harold S. Sines, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 13, 1945, Serial No. 634,643

6 Claims. 1

My invention contemplates and provides new and useful improvements inconductor grips for insulators of electricity supply or communicationslines.

An object of my invention is the elimination of tie wires in theattachment of line conductors to their insulators and the substitutionfor those tie wires of simple, sturdy, dependable devices manipulablepositively to grip and attach the conductors and their insulators.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a conductor gripwhich satisfactorily will become attached to an insulator bymanipulation of the same means which causes it to gripa conductor.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a conductor gripwhich comprises jaws for engaging spaced-apart portions of a conductorand quickly and efficiently operable means associated with the jaws forlocking the conductor to an insulator.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a dependableconductor grip which readily may be attached to a line conductor whilethe latter is energized or deenergized or during its erection.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a'conductor gripwhich effects damping of vibrations in an associated conductor and thusretards fatigue and failure of the conductor attributable to suchvibrations.

Another object of my invention is to provide devices, in the nature ofimproved conductor grips, which will reenforce and protect lineconductors which have been damaged and weakened by abra sion and/orcorrosion and/or vibration fatigue.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conductor grip in whicheffective use is made of cam action when the grip is attached to aconductor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a. conductor grip in whicheffective means is made of cam action when the grip is attached to boththe conductor and its insulator.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conductor grip whichcomprises in its construction no bolts, nuts or other threaded memberswhich are susceptible to freezing. by corrosion.

Another object of my invention is to save time and reduce hazard when alineman replaces insulators in emergency and "hot line work.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conductor grip whichpresents to a conductor smooth and substantial bearing surfaces whichtend to minimize abrasion and vibration fatigue of the conductor. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a conductor grip whichcooperates with a conductor and its insulator in such manner as tosupport the conductor free from contact with the insulator, therebypreventing abrasion of the conductor by the insulator and eliminatingany necessity for those conductor armors or wire wrappings which aresometimes employed to prevent abrasion of conductors by theirinsulators.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conductor grip which,being itself capable of effectively damping vibrations, rendersunnecessary the use of the armor rods which heretofore commonly havebeen applied to conductors, in

the regions of their insulators, for the purpose of damping vibrations.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conductor grip, which isin the form of a single unit attachable and detachable as such singleunit to and from a conductor and an insulator therefor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conductor grip, in theform of a single unit, that will grip both an insulator and a conductorand prevent abrasion of the conductor by the insulator while dampingvibration of the conductor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conductor grip which,being in the form of a single unit from which no parts are detachable,will spare linemen those losses of time and inconvenience which theyfrequently experience when efiecting conductor and insulator attachmentswhich comprise separable parts.

Another object of my invention is to provide an effective conductor gripthat feasibly may be assembled with an insulator on the ground prior toits installation on a pole or tower.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conductor grip in theform of a unitary device that may be adjusted to accommodate lineconductor approaches to an insulator at various angles and willcooperate with various diameters and shapes of insulators.

A further object of my invention is to provide a conductor and insulatorgripping unit which can be used over and over again in replacinginsulators and/or conductors in an electricity supply or communicationsline.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a conductor andinsulator gripping unit, which may be attached to various kinds andstyles of insulators.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a conductor andinsulator gripping device that will minimize thatradio interferencewhich is commonplace at those insulators where tie wires are appliedloosely or develop looseness through vibration and wear. H g

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of my inventionwill appear from the description to follow in which reference is made tothe accompanying three sheetsiof drawings} wherein Fig. l is a sideelevational view depicting my novel conductor grip in cooperatingrelationship with a conductor'anda'n insulator; V

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the elements shown in Fig. 1; r

Fig. 3 top plan View, partly in section, depicting the elements offFigaland 2 asthey appear when the conductor grip isin non-grippingrelationship to its "asscciated conductor-and insulator; V V

Fig. 4 is end View or the elements depicted inFigsl and 2; V

Fig. Sis a view corresponding to Fig. 4 but depicting I the 5 elementsas they appear when the conductor grip is in nonegripping relationshipto its associatedconductor and insulator;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view which maybe-regarded as taken inthe plane of the line 6-5 of Fig.2; I

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevationalview revealing' how a suitable hotline-or other tool may be employed for-manipulating the cam blocks-ofthe conductor grip;

Fig. 8 is an isolated fragmentary elevational view of one of theconductor grip jaws;

Fig. 9 is "a fragmentary side elevational view,

ametrically extending groove C. The insulator will be so mounted on across arm or other support that groove C extends in the direction of theconductor with which the insulator is associated. Encircling theinsulator immediately beneath the knob-like top B is the annular grooveD. In transverse section, the wall of groove D preferably isarcuate andthe wall of groove 0 approximately so. In the ordinary use of thevarious types of insulators whereof insulator A may be regarded as anexample, the conductor is disposed in the groove C or its equivalent andis retained therein by tie wires acting between the conductor and theinsulator. The application of such tie wires requires much of linemenstime, their use in conjunction with high tension lines is hazardous tolinemen, and they are undependable. The present invention eliminates theneed for such tie wires.

The conductor grip of my presentinvention, next'tobe 'des'cribedyis aunit" which may be applied to and removed from its cooperating-insulatorand conductor as such, which notablyand preferably includes no screws,belts or other screw-threaded members in its construction, and whichwhen occasion'requires readily and-safely may be appliedto and removedfrom its cooperating insulator and conductor-by means -of-a suitable hotline tool;

' The conductor grip comprises apair-of symmetrical or substantiallysymmetrical members E5-l5'which suitably may be formed of sheet steel.Elach said'member' I5 is conformed to present an insulator-embracinggenerally arcuate band it interposed between, connecting and formedintegral with'jaws 11-41. Each jaw ll of each member" ieis'disposedincooperating opposition to a similar jaw of the other member l5 and theband It of each member I 5 likewiseis corresponding generally to l,depicting a modified form of my invention; 7

' Fig. 10 is an end elevational View of the elem ents depicted in Fig.9;

Fig. 11' is' an isolated fragmentary side/elevational view of theconductor grip jaw liner depicted in Fig. 10; v I

"Fig. 12 isa'view corresponding generally to Fig. depicting asecondmodifiedform of "my invention;

Fig. 13 is an elevational view of the elements depicted in Fig. 12

Fig; 14 is an exploded 'view illustrating how a conductor grip jaw andits liner may be notched and tonguedto facilitate their securement eachto the other without resorting to welding, soldering,brazing-or othermeans of 'secur'ementirivolving the application or heat rand- Figflf)illustrateshow the ends of the jaw liners sometimes are desirablyflared.

Similar characters of reference refer to similarpar'ts throughout theseveral views.

' In the drawings, 'A denotesa conventional insulator, of porcelain orother dielectric material which, for the purposes'of the instantspe'cifica tion, may be regarded its-representative of Vari ous typesofinsulators with'whichmy novelconductcr grip is or readily may bead'aptedadvantag'eously to serve in an adjunctive" capacity. The particularinsulator chosen for purposesof illustration comprises a knob-likecircular top B in the upper surface of which is formed a didisposed incooperating opposition to the band 955 ofthe othermemberle 4 Eachinsulator-embracing band -it suitably may present a somewhat abruptbendlB located midwaybetween its ends, and be provided with portionsi9-l9, lying on each side of and spaced from the bend i 8, which are ofchanneled or concavo-co'nvex"cross-section as depicted in Fig. 6. Bandsi i- 5 desirably are somewhat stiff and resilient.

Each jaw i? is provided with a fenestration 20 which suitably'i'sgeneiallyrectangular and elongated longitudinally of the conductor gripand has its longitudinal edges providedfiwith con- I centricloppositeportions z |--'2'| adaptedtoserve as bearings in which the'cylindricalintermediate portion'of one'of thehereinafter-mentioned cam blocks may"have both rotati've and axial movement- Each jaw 57 is beadedlongitudinally of' the conductor grip to provide it' withaconvexcamrn'ing surface trend a chan el-2s which contains aconductor-engaging line'r ze. Copper is a suit able material of which toform the liners i l-24, but they maybemade of avariety of other metalnoand non-metallic; conducting and non-eonduc'ting materials. Each linermay be retained in itsap'propriate jaw chaniiel23'in any suitable manneras for examples by Welding, soldering,

' or'brazing. 'Ifit be desired to avoid theapplicanon orheat and itsannealing eirects, in-securing the liners 24 in theirrespective jawchannels 23, r'esbrt may be had to a kind ofsecurement in whichp'ortions or tlie'li-nersand the channelwalls definitelyare'interengaged. Fore'xample, and as depicted in Fig. 14, a notch 23amay be formed at each end of each jaw channel 23 and an integral tongue24a may be struck from each end portion of each liner, each of thetongues 24a being adapted to extend through one of the notches 23a andto be turned alongside the convex surface 22 to retain the liner in thechannel.

The longitudinal edge 25 of each jaw l1 desirably is turned outwardly,i. e., away from the corresponding edge of the opposed jaw. Moreover,one jaw of each pair desirably is provided with a longitudinal edge 26which is turned toward the opposed edge of the other jaw.

At all times retaining the members iii-l5 in a unitary structure withtheir bands I6 and their opposed jaws I1 in appropriate alignment, andalso serving as means for drawing the members 15 each toward the otherso that said bands and jaws may perform their functions, are the camblocks 21-21. Each of these cam blocks is associated with and extendsthrough one of the pairs of opposed jaws l1-l1.

Each cam block 21 includes a pair of end portions 28-28 joined by anintegral cylindrical portion 29 of a diameter such that it may be servedas bearings by the surfaces 2I-2i of the fenestrations 20 of the pair ofjaws 11-" through which such cam block extends. Convex surfaces 30 onthe faces of the cam block end portions 28 are aligned with thecylindrical portion 29 and constitute continuations thereof and maintainappropriate alignment between said cylindrical portion 29 and its fourcooperating bearing surfaces 2l-2l when the conductor grip is open asdepicted in Fig. 3.

Pins 3l-3l extend through the ends of the cam blocks 28-28 to preventtheir escape from the fenestrations 20 of their cooperatingjaws l1, andconsequently prevent escape from each other or significant misalignmentof the members 15-!5.

On the one side of the cylindrical portion 29, the end portions 28 ofeach cam block are provided with opposed concave camming surfaces 32-32(for cooperation with the camming surfaces 22-22 of the jaws) and at thediametrically opposite side of said cylindrical portion such endportions are provided with opposed convex camming surfaces 33-33 (forcooperation with the jaw exteriors at the sides of the fenestrations20-20 which lie away from the camming surfaces 22-22).

When employing my unitary conductor grip to attach a conductor E toinsulator A, a lineman proceeds as follows: The grip having beensuificiently opened by having its members Iii-I5 moved apart to ortoward their positions of Fig. 3, is placed over the top of theinsulator and the said members [5-15 are moved toward each otherlongitudinally of the cam blocks 21-21 to cause loose engagement ofinsulator groove D by the bands Iii-l6. The grip is so adjusted on theinsulator that the insulator groove C extends longitudinaly of the grip.Conductor E is placed in insulator groove 0. The grip jaws "-11 of bothpairs are moved closer together so that the jaw liners 24-24 of eachpair grip the conductor and so that the jaws [1-11 of each pair restupon the cylindrical portion 29 of the cam block 21 with which they areassociated. Then with the aid of a suitable tool 34 (which may be a hotline tool if desired) the cam blocks 21-21 are rotated ninety degreesfrom their positions of Figs. 3 and 5 to their positions of Figs. 1, 2and 4. In consequence of the cam blocks 21-21 being so rotated, thebands IB-IB tightly embrace the insulator groove D and the conductor Etightly is gripped by the two pairs of opposed grip jaw liners 24-24 andis by them held out of contact with the insulator.

Disconnection of the insulator and conductor is effected by reverserotation of the cam blocks 21-21 followed by those separating movementsof the bands 16-16 and grip jaws l1-l1 which are possible when the endportions 28-28 of the cam blocks have been turned into registry with thefenestrations 20-20 of the jaws.

In that modification of my invention which is depicted in Figs. 9, 10and 11, one of the jaw liners 24 at one end of the grip, being formed ofcopper or other suitable conducting material, is provided with anintegral extension 35 which, when the grip is in cooperatingrelationship with the insulator A and conductor E, projects downwardlyaway from the grip angularly to the conductor and in the vertical planethereof. Such extension 35 desirably is rendered rigid by flanges 36 andat its free end is provided with an aperture 31 or other suitable meansfacilitating its employment as a mechanical support for, and itselectrical connection with, appurtenant devices such as tap-offconnectors, hot line clamps, condensers, capacitors, lightningarrestors, etc. By sustaining the weight of these appurtenant devices bythe grip and the insulator and the insulator support rather than by theconductor, I am enabled to avoid conductor failures and radiointerference and other impairments of service caused by vibrationfatigue, abrasion, loosening of conductor attachments, burning, etc.,.attributable to mechanical strains imposed upon the conductor by suchdevices. Jaw liner extension 35 also will facilitate an ideal type ofelectrical connection between one or more tap-off wires or cables withthe conductor E, and will render the connection of such tap-off wires orcables with the conductor relatively easy and safe even though theconductor be energized with electricity at high voltage.

' In that further modification of my invention which is exhibited inFigs. 12 and 13, the jaw liner extension 35 is backed up by and iscoextensive with a plate-like arm 38 which is an integral extension ofone of the clamping jaws l1. Arm 38 has an opening 39 registering withthe aperture 31 of the jaw liner extension 35 and desirably is directlysecured to such jaw liner extension as for instance by rivets 40.

When my improved conductor grip is put into association with a conductorwhich has been weakened by abrasion, vibration fatigue, or otherwise, itis often desirable to flare the ends of the liners 24 which projectbeyond the ends of the jaws H. In Fig. 15 I have depicted a pair ofliners having their ends thus flared at 24b.

Having thus illustrated and described practical structures whereby theobjects and advantages of my invention are attained and without limitingmyself to the specific structures shown and described, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A conductor grip attachable to a line conductor insulator andcomprising spaced-apart pairs of jaws, each jaw being beaded to provideit with a channel presented to the channel of its opposed jaw, conductorengaging liners for said channels, devices associated with therespective pairs of jaws to cause them to embrace a conductor engaged bysaid liners, one of said liners being formed of electricity-conductingmaterial, and an arm formed integral with said last-mentioned 7Brianna-projectingaway irthitne ctiitiutttg grip foi tiie supportihdependentlyot the'cofidtictor of auxiliary equipment: electricallyconnected "with the conductor through'said' arm and the' liner ofwhiehit is aninteg'ralpart.

- 29A conductor grip attachabletoa line confine"- tor" insulator andcomprising spaces-apart pair's mew-s, each j aw lc-eirig headed toproyideiit with a channelresent'edto the chaiihelof itsopposedjaw;conductor engaging i'iners for'said channels, devices associatedwith the iespectivebaii's of laws to cause-theni to 'eiiibraceacontiuctor enig'aedby said liners, oiiefof saidiiners tinig fer'ihedtielec tricity conducting 'rnat'riali and an arm for med integral with'said last-'n'ientionel liiier and'prm jetting away from the "conductorgrip; Pbenea'th and in the vertieal plane of a :eonductorassoeiated withthe T grip; forthe support independently of the conductorof "auxiliaryeqiiipmehteleetric'aliy connectedwith the 'ooniiuctonthtou'gh said" amand the lineiof whichitiis anintegralpart. V

3. A conductor grip'attachableto alihe oonduc= tor insulator andcomprising spaced=apart pairs of 'jaws, each jaw'being beaded topro'videlit with a ch'annel'pre'sented'to the'chan'nel of its opposedjaw," conductor engaging liners'for"said channels, devicesassociated'with the respe'ctive pairs of jaws to causethem t'o'embr'ac aconductofengagedzby said liners; one-of saidliner's being formed'ofelectricity conducting'material, an arm iormedintegral with saidlast-inentidnetl'linei' and projecting away from the conductor grip for:the'support independently-of the condnctorof auxiliary equip: mentelectrically connected with ithe conductor through said arm and the imerof which itiis an integral part; and an arm which is formed int'egralwith the jaw which'pro ides thechannel for said last-mentioned liner;saiciiast=mentioried arm being disposed "alongside of and sharingthe-ioad represented by the weightofthe auiriliaryequim ment.

4. Ina conductor grip attachable to a. linemanductor insulator,spaced-apart pairs ofjaw's each conformed to present acha nnel to a'charinel of its-opposed jaw, the channel ,ofon'e 'of-saitl jaws beingprovided with an electricityconducting 'con ductor engaging surface,"devices associated with the respective pairs of jaws to'causethemtightly to engage a line conductor occupying thedaw channels; andan'electricity conductingar mintegral with the aforesaid electricityconducting-concluster-engaging surface" and 'projecting away fromitheconductor grip for the supportindependentity of the conductor of anappurtenant devlcein electrical connection with the conductor throughsaid-arm. V

5: A conductor grip attachable to a line concluo tor insulator andcomprising atleast one pairof cooperating-jaws; each jaw being'providediwith a channel'presented'to the channel of itsfoppose'cl jaw,conductoi 'engaging liner-s for said channels, devices associated withthe j aws tocause them' to embrace a conductor engaged by said liners,one of said liners being formed of electricity conducting material, and.an arm formed integral with said last-mentioned liner and projecting.away from the conductor gripfor the 'support'ihdepen'd entliyof theconductor of can appurtenant devi'ce in electrical '7 connection withthe conductor through said arm; 7

6. Alonductor grip attachable to a linec'onductor insulator andcomprising at least one pair of cooperating jaws, each jawbei'rlgproyidedwith a channel presentedto the channel of-it's opposed jaw; the'chahnelof one of said jaws'being :providedwith an electricityconducting conductorengaging surface, devices associated'with the opposed jaws to cause'th'emltightly to engage'a line conductor occupying.the jaweharinels, and an electricity conducting-arm integral with theaforesaid electricity conducting conductor-engaging surfaceantlprojecting away from the conductor grip for'the support independently ofthe: conductor ofanappurtehant device-in electrical connec ti'on'withth'e conductor through said arm.

S. SINES.

- REFERENCES CITED The f iio'wmg references are ofrecord in the

